After two seasons and over two years of... passionate online discourse, MAX is axing Mindy Kaling's raunchy Scooby-Doo reimagining, Velma. Following a confusing bait-and-switch, the streaming service has officially confirmed the series won't be getting a third season, and many Scooby-Doo fans aren't bottling up their tears of joy.

MAX is axing Velma after two seasons and a Halloween special

After months of speculation, the first hint of Velma's cancellation came from Davey Cummings, one of the show's background artists. Throughout the show's run, Cummings regularly uploaded images of the background art he made for Velma to his Instagram page.

In a now-deleted post he uploaded on October 8, 2024, Cummings revealed MAX would not be renewing Velma for a third season. He expressed his appreciation for Velma's artists and animators, emphasizing his desire to work with them again on another project someday. He rounded the post off by encouraging readers to watch Velma's newly released Hal????loween special, the apply-named "This Halloween Needs To Be More Special!"

“There will not be a Season 3, but I hope I get to work with these amazing talented people again one day. GO WATCH VELMA HALLOWEEN SPECIAL ON MAX!!�/p>

-Dave Cummings

Cummings' announcement turned the Internet's collective head, with many onlookers taking this statement from one of Velma's staff as proof that the show was ending. However, Cummings backpedaled on his announcement in another deleted Instagram post just a few hours later. Here, Cummings clarified MAX hadn't officially canceled the show yet and that Velma's fans and detractors shouldn't take his?? comments as a reflection of MAX or Warner Bros. Discovery's plans for the show.

This made an already uncertain situation even more dubious for onlookers, but things became crystal clear after MAX officially announced they were canceling Velma. In an official statement given to IGN, MAX confirmed Velma won't be returning for a third season, expressing? their condolences to the show's creative team and w?ishing them well in all their future endeavors.

"Over the past two seasons, Mindy [Kaling] an??d Charlie [Grandy] have created an incredibly fun and fresh world within the iconic whodunit franchise. While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we thank them for their compelling coming-of-age storytelling, unrivaled clues, and hilarious hijinks.

Max Spokesman, IGN

In the wake of this official declaration, I suspect Cummings and other members of Velma's staff knew that the show's chances of getting renewed were low, but that didn't stop them from believing it could happen. Velma's Halloween special ends on a cliffhanger, so it's clear that the show's producers, writers, and art stream were h??oping to get a third season.

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We're truly living in uncertain times when it comes to industry jobs and sadly, Rocksteady appears to have been the latest victim in a round of layoffs. The studio itself recently brought us Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, which may be par?tly responsible for the layoffs.

The report comes from Eurogamer, with some unnamed staff members from the studio's QA team in particular noting a series of redundancies. The departm??ent is said to have been "cut in ha??lf over the past month," though losses within the company may have affected other teams as well.

O??ne member of staff has apparently spoken out on social media about how they were laid o?ff from Rocksteady while on paternity leave. At the time of writing, publisher Warner Bros. has yet to comment on these reports.

Kill the studios, it seems

In a classic case of cause-and-effect, it appears as though the poor sales of Suicide Squad has been cited as one of the reasons for the studio "restructuring." Rocksteady senior management has acknowledged that pr?oduct quality will now suffer as a result, per Eurogamer's report.

Perhaps many won't be surprised by this revelation. Kill the Justice League was not exactly welcomed with open arms by the community. Currently, the game is showing as "Mixed" for all reviews and "Mostly Negative" for recent ones over on Steam.

However, if all this is true, it's still a sad time to be working in the games industry at the moment. We've ?seen thousands of developers lose their jobs over the past year or so, as well as e??ntire studios being shuttered. There doesn't appear to be light at the end of the tunnel for job security in gaming, at the moment.

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The Annecy Animation Festival gives animators a stage to showcase their la??test projects. There have already been many great reveals this year, but Cartoon Network has made one of the strongest showings by unveiling a series of upcoming spin-offs/revivals of some of the best shows the channel has ever aired.

All of Cartoon Network's announcements are blasts from the past

Warner Bros. Discovery has been vocal about its plans to pour most of i?ts resources into its pre-existing IPs. While I'm a little frustrated to see yet another company tak??e the safe route and fall ?back on its established brands rather than try something new, I’d be lying if I told you that I'm not excited by all of the projects the company announced at Annecy.

I grew up watching Cartoon Network and its retro-themed sister channel, Boomerang, with my sister and parents. All of the reboots and spin-offs unveiled during Warner Bros. Discovery's showcases are continuations of shows that still hold a special place in my heart as an adult. I was even happier to hear that the show's original creators are in charge of these new projects.

Here are all the new Cartoon Network shows?? announced at Annecy. Information about these upcoming series is still trickling in, so some of the details I discuss here may change as the shows inch closer to their premieres.

Foster's Funtime for Imaginary Friends

Foster's Funtime for Imaginary Friends is a spin-off of Craig McCracken Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends that aims to appeal to pre-scho??olers. Bloo, the original series' feckless protagonist, will be educating a group of young imaginary friends, and as fans of the OG can imagine, chaos and hijinks ensue.

According to Variety, McCracken has promised that Funhouse will be as fast-paced as Home but will drop? the cynical humor that crept into the show's later seasons. As someone ?who watched the original show become more mean-spirited as it went on, I can't help but agree with that decision.

Adventure Time: Side Quests

Adventure Time: Side Quest is the latest spin-off of Pendelton Ward's comedy-fantasy epic Adventure Time. Nate Cash, who joined Adventure Time's production team as a creative director before being promoted to supervising director, will oversee Side Quests.

Unlike the more adult-leaning Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake spin-off and the serialized final seasons of Adventure Time, Side Quests sounds like it will return the franchise to its episodic roots, with Finn and Jake embarking on new, self-contained adventures every week. Familiar faces like the Ice King will return, apparently scrubbed of the character development they underwent in the original Adventure Time series.

Unnamed Regular Show Project

J.G. Quintel announced a continuation of the hit surreal comedy Regular Show. Festivalgoers reacted to this announcement with open applause, all of whom seemed happy to learn that Quintel had bounced back after the unexpected cancellation of his last show, Close Enough.

We don't know much about this new project, but since Quintel himself vo?ices Mor??decai, I'm willing to bet that our favorite slackers will show up somehow.

The clip show was a show-stopper

Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studio, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe also unveiled a clip show comprised of scenes from several in-prod??uction animated projects during Annecy. All of ?these clips were of shows that had already been announced, but they confirmed that the shows are further along the production process, giving us some idea of when they'll be released.

Here are all of the?? shows that popped up during the ??clip show.

• Teen Titans Go
• Gremlins: the Wild Bunch
• Invincible Fight Girl
• Bat-Family
• The Amazing World of Gumball
• Watchman
• Batman: Caped Crusader
• Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

The greenlight district looked pretty good, too

Other animated projects were unveiled, with the majo??rity again being veteran Cartoon Network IPs continuations. However, a handful were entirely new series, all of which have the potential to become long-running series.

H?ere are all the new shows that got the green light during Annecy.

• Go Go Mystery Machine
• Adventure Time: Heyo BMO
• Throws a Wobbler
• The Adventure Time Movie
• Bad Karma
• Lovey Dovey

Looking at this slate, I'm excited about Cartoon Network's future. If these shows do well, Warner Bro. ??Discovery may be willing to give new, more experimental shows the go-ahead.

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Following last week's MultiVersus character reveal,?? Player First Games has put out a proper gameplay trailer for the crossover's newest playable fighter: The Joker. Despite the Clown Prince of Crime being the focus, though, Player Firs?t seems to have taken the opportunity to tease another set of characters, The Powerpuff Girls.

The trailer begins with Batman's computer being hacked by the Joker, which brings up profiles of several other playable characters. Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed ??all three Powerpuff Girls—Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup—appearing on the display in the top right corner. Although unlike the rest of the characters, they're depicted w??ith what looks like art from their show rather than in-game renders. Still, the fact they're there at all may as well be official confirmation of their inclusion.

The Powerpuff Girls were always a safe bet for MultiVersus. Aside from being popular Cartoon Network characters, evidence of their inclusion was uncovered via datamines from 2023, courtesy of Twitter user AusilMV, and their home city of Townsville seemed to be in the background of a clip teasing a new Superman costume. The real question is whether they'll be three separate characters with their own movesets, or if they'll share a roster slot and all play identically to each other. Also, there's no telling when they'll be added to MultiVersus, though I imagine we won't hear details until after the game's full release on May 28.

The Powerpuff Girls may not be the only Cartoon Network icons being teased for MultiVersus either. In the same trailer, around the 49 second mark, we can see a brand-new stage set in a laboratory. Some fans in the comments section believe this is meant to be Dexter's laboratory from... Dexter's Laboratory, which could mean the boy geniu?s will join the roster too. In the bottom right hand corner, you can even see a sign that looks an awful lot like the "No Dee Dee" sign Dexter has on his bedroom door in the show, meant to bar his annoying older sister from entering (it never works).

MultiVersus' roster was always one of its strong points and there's plenty of exciting potential for future inclusions thanks to Warner Bros' extensive catalogue of IP to draw from. However, the game has a lot to prove to try and win over players. Many were annoyed when it went offline last year, especially since some had already spent money on its microtransactions, with no option to claim refunds. Any purchases are expected to carry over into the full game, but the whole thing still left a sour taste in fans' mouths. As such, MultiVersus faces an uphill battle to curry back players' favour, and adding new characters is only a part of ??that.

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It’s the end ??of an era. Rooster Teeth is officially being shut down by Warner Bros. Discovery, and the process is expected to take several months. 

Deadline reports that R?ooster Teeth general manager Jordan Levin made the announcement at a company wide meeting and in an internal memo.

“It’s with a heavy heart I announce that Rooster Teeth is shutting down due to challenges facin??g digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and mone??tization across platforms, advertising, and patronage,â€?Levin wrote. 

Even though media companies are currently experiencing some extreme volatility, Rooster Teeth's closure still comes as a shock. In his memo, Levin noted that the shutdown is going to be an ongoing process, and we won’t be seeing Rooster Teeth vanish immediately. The Rooster Network Podcast will continue for the time being, and it may even be acquired by another company. Also, the Rooster Teeth content that Warner Bros. currently has in production will still get released, which means we’ll be getting one final season of Red vs. Blue.

Rooster Teeth began its pioneering foray into online content in 2003 â€?that’s before YouTube, for anyone who can’t remember â€?and it helped to absolutely transform the industry. It became a part of Warner Bros. Discover when AT&T acquired Time  Warner in 2018, but, as Levin wrote in his memo, “Despite passing through many corporate owners, Rooster Teeth transcended a media business and ??was a dynamic movement that shaped the bond between communities, creators, and storytelling.â€?nbsp;

Levin also aptly notes, “Rooster Teeth’s closure isn’t merely an end; it reflects broader business dynamics.�Rooster Teeth’s shutdown comes at a time when Warner Bros. as a whole is undergoing big changes, with the company announcing just days ago that it’s changing its game development strategy.

For a while now, Warner Bros. has been pursuing aggressive cost-cutting measures. In August 2022 it shelved a finished Batgirl movie, opting to use the film as a tax write-off instead, and it repeated the move with Coyote vs ACME in 2023. That's not even getting into all the HBO Max projects that disappeared in the wake of the Warner Bros. Discovery merger just a couple of years ago. Everyone across the entertainment industry is feeling the strain of monetization demands, advertiser flights, and i??ncreasing??ly corporatized spaces.

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As if there wasn't enough reason to be skeptical about Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, it appears controversial DRM Denuvo has been added to the PC version of the live service game just days before launch. The Steam Page for Suicide Squad was updated just yesterday to include the foll??o??wing warning message: Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Tough Nut to Crack

While historically Denuvo DRM has done a decent job of serving its purpose: preventing the game?? from being cracked and able to spread via piracy, it comes at a cost to those who legally purchas??e games with it included. In order for the DRM to properly work, every installation must include the Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Unfortunately, Denuvo often leads to performance issues restricted to PC versions of games. Recently released Tekken 8 made sure not to include Denuvo after Tekken 7 launched on PC with horrid performance issues due to De?nuvo.

Over on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam Discussion Boards, players are already voicing their displeasure over the recent addition of Denuvo.

Nothing new for Warner Bros. Games

Honestly, I can't remember the last title published by Warner Bros. Games that didn't include Denuvo. Mortal Kombat launched with it, as did Hogwarts Legacy. By that metric alone, it's not necessarily unexpected that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League? will launch with Denuvo integrated. I think what's more disappointing is that it was seemingly added last minute, with no indication of its inclusion until just a couple of days before launch.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League launches on February 2 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players who buy the $100 edition can get Early Access today, though servers may be down unexpectedly.

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The Minecraft movie is adding more stars to its lineup. Peacemaker star Danielle Brooks, according to Deadline, has been cast in the live-action adaptation in an unknown role, as well as Seba?stian Eugene H??ansen.

The Jared Hess-helmed film, which also stars Aquaman’s Jason Momoa, is set to release on April 5, 2024. Filming is underway in New Zealand and is expected to ram??p up by the end? of the month.

Around the Block

An adaptation of Minecraft has been in the works for a while, dating back to 2014. Directors like Deadpool 3's Shawn Levy and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney took turns in Creative Mode before quitting. The movie even had Steve Carell attached to star back in 2016, but he left at a later time.

Now, Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess has taken the reins after several delays. The director has a certain type of awkward comedy that may give Minecraft a little flair. However, we still have to see if the two mix. It does help that, earlier this year, What We Do in the Shadows' Matt Berry was in talks to star, so the comedy may actually be funny.

Warner Bros. is producing the adaptation and it seems they took some notes with their two big cast members. Both Jason Momoa (who's also producing) and Danielle Brooks have roles in the DCEU. Brooks is a more recent addition to the universe, playing secondary protagonist Leota Adebayo in the John Cena-led Peacemaker series (which I enjoyed, to be honest). Momoa, on the other hand, is King of Atlantis himself, Aquaman. He's set to reprise the superhero in the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, out December 22. Funnily enough, three days later, Danielle Brooks is reprising her Tony-nominated role as Sofia in the musical adaptation of The Color Purple.

The idea of a live-action Minecraft film is a bit bewildering. Personally, an animated film would make more sense since it fits better with the game's aesthetic. There are no story details regarding the film's narrative yet. Therefore, we don't know what route they may be taking, whether it'll be in the Minecraft world or the real world.

Telltale Games did do a more narrative-driven take with Minecraft: Story Mode, so maybe it'll be like that. Or perhaps be like Adam Sandler's Pixels. It's certainly a scary thought, but I'm hopeful things work out. I mean, the cast is pretty solid and Minecraft is one of the best-selling games of all time. Th??ey wouldn't just make it a cash grab, right? Right? Yeah, ma?ybe I need to know the story first.

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It's about to get chilly

The Bat-Family has a new outing scheduled. A new Heroic Assault dubbed "The Kelvin Incident" is being added to Gotham Knights today, adding a 15-floor raid for endgame Kn??ights.

The Kelvin Incident is a new Heroic Assault, which is WB Games Montreal's label for four-player co-op raids. Separate fro??m the main story camp??aign, this standalone mode lets up to four players join up in online c-op and run through floors of challenges, eventually taking on big Bat-villains.

//twitter.??com/GothamKnights/status/1651617387379081216/

Taking on The Kelvin Incident will require you to make a dent in the Gotham Knights campaign, however.?? For normal game players, you'll need to complete the Villain Crimes and unlock Heroic Assault. Those on New Game Plus will have the incident unlocked, so long as Heroic Assault is unlocked; you'll be able to access The Kelvin Incident through Quick Match or the "Launch Heroic Assault" option.

Today's patch notes also include some other sizeable additions. Mythic gear, a new tier of stronger gear that only drops in the raid, is being added to t??he loot list. New materials will also drop from the raid, too.

A new suit transmog and four new Batcycle tansmogs can also be unlocked, and there are some stronger enemies to tackle as well. On the Accessibility side, English text-to-speech options will support built-in screen readers for all text and some? menus, and screen reader support has been improved in areas where it already existed. Plus, controller remapping has been implemented, and buttons that previously had to be held down can now be set as a toggle.

Reforming the Bat-family

This is a neat free update to see, as part of Gotham Knights' post-launch roll-out. The Bat-family co-op brawler didn't launch on a high note, and we've already seen one other co-op costumed brawler shutter its doors this year.

Now, with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League moved into next year, maybe some more Gotham Knights can fill the virtual void in DC fans' hearts. Or at least give Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Batg??irl more baddies to beat up. The K?elvin Incident Heroic Assault is live now.

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Hot ninja tag-team action

Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for the next installment in its animated movie series Mortal Kombat Legends. Headed to Blu-ray and streaming services at some point in the future, Snow Blind is the third film in the series, following 2020's Scorpion's Revenge and 2021's Battle of the Realms.

Snow Blind will focus on one of MK's most noble heroes, the blind swordsman Kenshi, presenting the origins of the mar??tial arts master's journey to be one of the most feared and most formidable foes to anybody on a Wi-Fi connection. We will learn of Kenshi's sight loss, and see his rigorous training to hone the mysterious and supernatural skills harnessed within him. Kenshi will then sally forth against an oppressive alliance of Black Dragon villains, led by the self-appointed King Kano.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvqx3-1G9Rw&t

The film will chart Kenshi's rise to martial arts mastery, and see him unleash his newfound powers on a bevy of MK villains, including Black Dragon members Kabal, Kira, Erron Black, and even the poor-man's-Ken, Kobra. The odds are against him, but it seems Kenshi isn't alone, with a particularly icy ally waiting in the wings. Snow Blind will feature all of the melodrama and R-rated, blood-gushing action of the previous films, and it's cool to see some of the more forgotten '00s characters get some time in the ??spotlight.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind will premiere on Blu-ray and streaming services in the future. The two previous films �Scorpion's Revenge and Battle of the Realms �are both available now.

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Kill the Wabbit

This past weekend saw fight fans lock horns in Warner Bros.' brand new scrapper MultiVersus, the crossover fighter having just launched its open access beta on PC and console platforms �and ?while the fur has only been flying for a few days, already characters are queued up to have their wings clipped by developer Player First Games.

In something of an obscure tweet posted this weekend, MultiVersus director Tony Huynh noted that "Nerfs Inc." would be headed to the title post-EVO (which takes place in Las Vegas this weekend). While no specific characters were announced for ?the chopping block, Huynh added that "Bugs Bunny will always be fun."

//twitter.com/Tony_Huynh/status/1?552517058918682624???s=20&t=unq02SbgfNGQK4ddQ-VM9A

No doubt Huynh is pointing toward the fact that the carrot-chomping smart arse is already proving to be something of a dominant player within MultiVersus' crossover world. Bugs has seemingly overshot Taz as somebody singled out as something of a problem character for players, after the latter had his devastating Tornado Spin attack scaled right down?? scant hours into the beta's launch.

In a chaotic platform fighter such as MultiVersus, it can be difficult to accurately ascertain who may have a leg-up on the competition. Add to that t?he way ALL fighting game players call for nerfs within minutes of a title's launch, and it takes a sharp developer to truly ascertain which characters are actually broken and which characters players are simply "losing to" as they aren't botherin?g to learn the matchup.

Either way, MultiVersus has had an immensely healthy beta launch, with over 144,000 players logging into Steam at its peak period. We shall see how the title retains its audience over the coming weeks and months. MultiVersus is now in open beta? on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Merrie Melodies

Yesterday, Warner Bros. Games launched the open beta for its incoming platform fighter MultiVersus, allowing players on both PC and console platforms to step into the ring with its crossover cast of pop culture characters. Already, the MultiVersus beta has se??en incredible success, beco?ming the fourth most popular title on just the Steam platform alone.

The PC dashboard logged an incredible 144,000 players at its peak yesterday, surpassing launch day numbers for any other fighting game on the platform �including Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. It should be noted, of course, that MultiVersus is a free-to-play title, but that's st??ill a staggering amount of players. When you add in players on Xbox and PlayStation, we could easily be looking at the most popular fighting game beta of all time.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAydKj4j0IA

Of course, these numbers lead to some particularly sweaty servers, and some players found themselves struggling to log in during Tuesday's peak activity period. A fighting game lives and dies on the longevity of its community, so while these numbers are unlikely to be retained, MultiVersus will be looking to hoo??k in enough regulars to keep the fists and fur flying over the coming weeks, months, and perhaps years �though Player First Games' implementation of crossplay will certainly aid th??is goal.

If you want to check out the slapstick silliness for yourself, then the MultiVersus beta is available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms right now. All you need do is download the game client on your platform of choice, sign in with a WB Games account, and you're ready to rock. The "full" version of MultiVersus will launch later in 2022.

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Of course, you realize this means war...

Sufferin' succotash! If you've been waiting on an opportunity to check out Warner Bros.' crossover platform fighter, MultiVersus, then ??there's no time like the present �the star-studded brawler has just opened its beta servers to all, bringing madcap, slapstick mayhem to PlayStation, PC, and Xbox owners everywhere.

The open beta, which is ready to rock as you read this, features a slew of playable modes including two-on-two team co-op, one-on-one vs, four-player free-for-all, and local matches for up to four players and/or A.I. controlled bots. A rotational cast of characters will include almost all revealed characters to date, from Shaggy, Batman, and Arya Stark, to Superman, Garnet, Taz, and Harley Quinn (though it's very unlikely that we'll be seeing some of the more recent reveals, such as Rick & Morty). Still, there's everything and everyone you? need in order to check out MultiVersus silly slap fights for you??rself.

All you need to do?? to get started is download the Open Access game client on your platform of choice.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tefXM2MQYNc

The beta is an opportunity for developer Player First Games to stress test the servers and crossplay features, while also making note of any and all problems uncovered by the player base. Currently, there is no end date for the open beta, suggesting that it will roll on in some form or fashion until the title's official launch �scheduled for some point later in 2022. But, with season passes and in-game currency already available to purchase, one could arguably suggest that MultiVersus, in essence, launched today.

MultiVersus supports both crossplay and cross-progression, so feel free to check the fighter out on multiple platforms, with your account carried throughout each. I'm currently mired in practice for upcoming tournaments, but I'll certainly be spending a couple of hours with the fun-looking title later this week. MultiVersus w?ill launch as a free-to-play game on Pla??yStation, PC, and Xbox later this year.

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The NBA star can soon dunk on Bugs Bunny

Warner Bros. platform fighter MultiVersus is adding some more combatants to its roster. LeBron is set to join the MultiVersus li?neu?p on July 26, while animated duo Rick and Morty arrive as part of Season One.

MultiVersus is currently in a closed alpha, but the game goes into open beta next week on July 26. LeBron'?s debut will coincide with the open beta, bringing passes, dunks, and three-pointers to the melee.

It's worth noting that this is LeBron as he appeared in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Which, granted, he appeared as himself in that movie. But that means he'll be donning the Toon Squad jersey and doing some basketball moves beyond conventional, human bounds. It seems like the main mechan?ic involves passing the ball around and going for big dunks.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMnx77Djnu4

Voicing LeBron is John Bentley, who also lent his vocal talents to Barrett Wallace in 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Rick and Morty, meanwhile, will be waiting a little longer for their debut. The pair will be arriving in MultiVersus sometime in its first season.

//twitter.com/multiversus/status/1550539268098??9??53216/

A massive crossover

MultiVersus is Warner Bros. and Player First Games' take on the Smash Bros. concept. It boasts crossovers from across a bunch of Warner Bros. properties, ran??ging from Shaggy and Velma to Harley Quinn, Bugs Bunny, the Iron Giant, and soon, LeBron James.

Is this an absolutely bonkers character idea? Of course. But I really dig it. Part of the appeal in these crossover platform fighters is seeing a bunch of recognizable faces duke it out, and while LeBron's made game cameo appearances before, just the possibility of dunking on Batman as LeBron seems reason enough to try Multiversus out.

MultiVersus goes into open beta on July 26, though you can also get in now with early access via Twitch drops or purchasing a Founder's Pack.

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Also, Batman is "really dead"

Gotham Knights is set to pit the rag-tag Bat-family against the enigmatic Court of Owls. There's a good chance we'll see some other classic Batman villains as well. But it sounds like the Joker won't be among the rogue's gallery of Gotham Knights.

Speaking at San Diego Comic Con 2022 yesterday (via IGN), Gotham Knights creative director Patrick Redding says the Joker won't be in Gotham Knights. The door's still open for another clown-crime doer though; Redding would not conf??irm or deny whether Harley Quin??n is in the game.

Redding also notes that Batman is "really dead" in Gotham Knights. There's been some speculation? that may not be the real case, and who knows? Bat-stories have pulled off stranger twists. But for now, the focus?? is on the extended Bat-family.

To wit, there was also a new trailer shown, spo??tlighting Batgirl's c??rimefighting capabilities.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxJcx86-vJU

A bad night in Gotham

It seems like Batgirl's got the usual lineup of Bat-gadgets and gizmos in Gotham Knight. She also has her own Bat-b?ike, which looks like it could make a big entrance.

I'm really a fan of the baton she has though. At multiple points it acts a regular blunt object or like a tonfa, but??? we also see it extend out into a longer reach weapon and cause shockwaves. Seems like she's set on making sure Gotham's evildoers don't stop fearing the bat symbol, even in Bruce's absence.

Batgirl is one of the four playable characters in Gotham Knights, alongside Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hoo??d. And while she won't get to take down the Joker, she and the other crimefighters will still have plenty to deal with in the Court of Owls, it seems.

Gotham Knights will take a bit out of crime on October 25, 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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The famously violent Iron Giant

Warner Bros. Games has announced that it will be opening the dimensional portals of its madcap platform fighter MultiVersus later this month, with the arrival of?? the game's first open beta. This trial will give players worldwide an opportunity to check out the wild crossover brawler and its kooky roster.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tefXM2MQYNc

Anyone wishing to check out the fun-looking fighter for themselves should head on over to the official MultiVersus website and sign up for early access, then you will be ready to rock ?when devel??oper Player First Games opens the servers on July 19. If you participated in the closed beta earlier this year, then you're already good to go, just remember to reinstall the game client on your platform of choice.

On July 26, the open beta portion of the trial will go live, allowing any and all interested parties to step into the ring with a scaled-down version of MultiVersus'?? star-studded roster.?? The beta will be an opportunity for Play First Games to stress-test the online servers, while also ironing out any bugs pertaining to the title's cross-play capabilities.

In addition to the open beta news, a new trailer was released, which includes gameplay footage for The Iron Giant, perhaps the single most violent and destructive character in the Warner Bros. IP catalog, (yes, including Mortal Kombat). We also get to see Diana Prince take to the battlefield as DC Comics' legendary Themyscarian war?rior, Wonder Woman, golden lariat in tow.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAydKj4j0IA&t

Platform fighters are not my thing, but I can't deny that I really dig MultiVersus as a concept. The roster is really fun, and the cosmetic additions seem chock full of skins, variants, and outfits that reference each individual character's pop culture history. (I particularly like that Bugs Bunny has an alt based on the legendary 1957 short, What's Opera, Doc?) As for the gameplay itself? Well, the jury is still out, but I'll definitely be giving MultiVersus a shot when it hits open beta on July 26.

MultiVersus will launch later this year on PlayStation, ?PC, and Xbox platforms as? a free-to-play title.

The post MultiVersus bringing animated ?mayhem t??o open beta July 26 appeared first on Destructoid.

Dat's not fay-rrrrreeee!

Warner Bros. Interactive's madcap brawler MultiVersus might only be in its pre-release stages, but already players and developers are noticing that some members of its colorful roster are just a little too handy? with the ol' fisticuffs,? and are currently on The List to receive a good old fashioned nerfing.

Responding to feedback from the game's recent closed alpha, MultiVersus director Tony Huynh has noted that four characters, in particular, seem to be dishing out far more doses of digital pain than others. First on the list is DC Comics' anti-hero Harley Quinn, who is joined by Adventure Time heroes Finn and Jake, and finally, Original MultiVersus Character Do Not Steal Reindog. Huynh notes that this quartet will receive larger "punish windows," which one wou?ld assume means that they will be easier to counter when they whiff their zany attacks.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and MultiVersus is likely to see a ton of adjustments as it progresses from Alpha to Beta, and from Beta to Launch. Alongside ??character balance updates, developer Player First Games will also be looking at fixing bugs, impro?ving stability, tweaking matchmaking, and all other elements that make up the core essentials of any successful fighting game.

While MultiVersus is, admittedly, pushing into a ridiculously crowded market, the closed alpha has shown promise, even hooking in a party of non-fighting game players. It's a star-studded slapfest, that's for sure, and I'm looking forward to following the title's progression t?oward its eventual release, ??scheduled for later in 2022.

MultiVersus is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Did you check out this weekend's alpha? If so, then spill your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to check out our own CJ Andriessen's impressions right here.

The post Harley Quinn will get hit with the ne?rf mallet in MultiVersus appeared first on Destructoid.

A future so bright it's literally blinding

If there is one thing I’ve learned from the current era of pop culture, it’s that I shouldn’t get too attached to the characters and stories that entertain me and bring me joy. Because, inevitably, this world will find a way to ruin everything that we love. Whether it’s turning cinema’s most magical moviegoing experience into one of the stupidest film franchises ever, or stripping away all meaning from a beloved c??haracter so you can endlessly monetize them, there are no depths companies and corporations won’t sink to if it means squeezing out a few more nickels from their fans and consumers.

That’s why I honestly have no problem with something like MultiVersus, the upcoming platform fighter from Player First Games and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Pop culture has beaten me into submission when it comes to complaining about this kind of misuse of adored IPs. It’s honestly a losing battle to try and fight it, so I choose to just go with the flow. If Warner Bros. is cool having a weapon of ?mass des?truction that famously doesn’t want to fight beating the snot out of a child, then I say why not. What the hell, anything goes on this everything bagel.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jpZPe0zblM

MultiVersus alpha impressions

Like with all other free-to-play games on the market, the MultiVersus alpha starts everyone out with a brief but detailed tutorial explaining how everything works. If you’re coming into this straight from Smash or Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, a lot of what you'll experience he??re will be familiar. You're still trying to do enough damage to an opponent unt?il you're able to knock them out of the stage.

But don’t think you can get by ignoring the tutorial information. While this is a platform fighter with similar attack inputs (directional basic attacks and directional special attacks) it’s a pretty different beast of a game with its own systems and unique stylings. For starters, the game is very upfront about attack fatigue. Spamming the same move weakens it, forcing players to use their entire arsenal if they want to continue doing serious damage. The game also doesn’t have a block button. You can dodge, and it is a vital tool in any match you’ll play, but that’s tied to a dodge meter that’ll dwindle if you use it too much. Most characters have one or more moves that have a cooldown timer tied to them as well. In the air, all characters have two jumps, two air dodges, and two special attacks they can use without touching the ground. All characters also have the ability to wall jump, which makes getting back onto the stage pretty damn easy. With all of those changes and more to the familiar formula, most players will probably have to approach MultiVersus differently from other fighters in the genre.

Unless you’re already an expert airborne fighter. I?f that’s the case, ?you’ll fit right in here.

I am not somebody who enjoys fighting in the air with platform fighters. I’m very much?? a keep-my-feet-on-the-ground type of brawler. However, that’s really not an option with a lot of the available characters here. A few, like Superman and Taz, have powerful enough attacks that you can knock out an opponent from the ground. But most of the fighters here feel pretty damn weak, and if you want to effectively eliminate your foes, you’re going to want to follow them into the air after you’ve knocked them sky high to finish the job. For me, that has take??n some getting used to, as has the floaty nature of jumping in this game, but I’m excited to use the skills I’ve been developing here in the other platform fighters I play.

While you can play in 1v1 and free-for-all modes, as well as against bots, the core MultiVersus experience is its 2v2 team battles. As you go through the training, you’ll get a sneak peek of how certain characters in the game are designed around team gameplay. And, like support characters in Overwatch, getting good with one of these fighters will m?ake you indispensable when playing with friends and strangers online. For this closed alpha, the online connection has been rock-soli??d, above and beyond anything Nintendo has ever achieved with its flagship fighter.

Choose your fighter carefully

In regards to the playable characters for the MultiVersus alpha, there are 15 at your disposal. Outside of Iron Giant, everyone who’s been announced so far is in. That means Shaggy and Velma from Scooby-Doo, Finn and Jake from Adventure Time, Steven and Garnet from Steven Universe, a handful of superheroes, cartoon characters, and a girl who has no name. There’s also future-must-have-plush-toy Reindog, a four-legged beast who is a godsend in team battles if the player using them knows how to effectively utilize their entire skillset. Not every fighter is available right away. For whatever reason, several, including Arya Stark, Batman, and Garnet, are locked away until you can earn enough coins to purchase them. I understand that being the case when the game actually launches, but why are you making me work during a closed al??pha?

If you want to test any of these characters out, you can do that? in the training m?ode. Not only will this let you try before you buy, but it’ll also help you adapt to the wildly varied playstyles of each fighter.

I have to give Player First Games credit. I think the core cast of MultiVersus is the most eclectic group of fighters in the genre, both in terms of where they're pulled from and how their unique attributes create a playstyle that is distinct from every other fighter. For a cast of characters controlled with the same general inputs, there is very little similarity between them. They’re also creati?ve in a way that really taps into who they are as a character and how their identity is reflected in their play style. Take Velma, for instance. This “experimental�support character �all characters h??ere have classes like support, mage, tank, bruiser, etc. �is designed around the concept of solving mysteries. As she fights, clues will drop out of her opponents. If she picks up enough of these clues, she can “solve the mystery,�which in this case, means sending in a cop car to nab a competitor. If you play this move right, you can trap your opponent over a pit for an easy elimination.

That is the type of creativity that permeates many of the characters here. Some are pretty basic. I don’t think too many people are going to be wowed by the likes of Superman or Batman, even though they’re both efficient fighters. But when you look at Tom & Jerry, who are brilliantly animated in a way that all of Tom’s attacks are just him taking swipes at Jerry, it’s hard not to be awestruck by what the developers managed to do here. By the way, if you’re decent with Rosalina in Smash, you’ll want to gravitate to??w??ard Tom & Jerry right away.

Looking toward the future

If this does manage to take off, the sky’s the limit for potential characters. Warner Bros. has an exceptionally strong catalog it can pillage, from Ocean’s 11 to the Wizarding World, from Rin Tin Tin to And Just Like That. While I doubt we’ll be seeing Carrie Bradshaw use her Manolo Blahniks to curb stomp Professor Snape anytime soon, I wouldn’t be surprised if the developers at Player First Games get creative with future combatants. Given what they did with the likes of Velma, I think there is plenty of imagination within the development team to keep things fun and interesting for years to come. Or, the game could just be used as a marketing tool for whatever Warner Bros. movies and shows are about to premiere. If that’s the case, bring on Black Adam and whoever the hell Matt Smith is playing in that Game of Thrones prequel.

In terms of overall content for the MultiVersus alpha, it’s pretty slim pickins beyond the roster. The music is forgettable and there are only a couple of stages to fight on here. Most of my bouts have taken place on the requisite training grid stage (think Street Fighter V’s training stage meets Wii Fit Studio) or the Wonder Woman-themed Trophy’s Edge. I also fought a handful of matches on the Adventure Time Tree Fort stage and in Batman’s Batcave, the latter of which popped up far more rarely than it should have. The best of the bunch, a Scooby-Doo-themed haunted house with breakable walls and trick platforms, was the only stage that didn’t appear in any of my regular play sessions. It was also the only stage that didn’t sear my eyeballs with its excessively bright whites and glare. As there are no optional visual settings for the Multiversus alpha, the hope the developers tweak just how bright this game looks (at least on the PS5). Thi?s is the only game I’ve played since upgrading to my current television that I’ve had to change my TV’s settings from the enhanced gaming picture mode to its cinematic?? mode just to darken it a bit.

There is a lot more to this MultiVersus alpha, including season passes and unlockable skins, but we should probably save that for the full review. If you missed out on the closed alpha, an open alpha is scheduled for July. MultiVersus is planned to launch later this year ?for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S with cross-play and cross-progression from day one.

The post I think MultiVersus could have a bright future appeared first on Destructoid.

Fans are up in arms, but I think they have a point

The Iron Giant was an important movie to me growing up. I always loved the animation style, and although it's a movie that's known for being a tear-jerker, it earns it with some excellent writing. It's a shame that Warner Bros. Animation shut down in 2004, because they had some truly iconic films back in the day. I don't know anyone who wasn't touched by the story of friendship and pacifism that we saw from The Iron Giant. I think a lot of us who grew up with the film feel a bit protective over it because of how earnest it was �or at least, that's how I feel. That's why I'm up in arms about the Iron Giant kicking some ass in MultiVersus, and I know?? I'm not the only one who feels that way.

After seeing our favorite giant robot on the game's roster during the cinematic trailer, fans (myself included) took to Twitter to discuss the validity of his role in a Smash-style platform fighter. PC Gamer reached out to MultiVersus' director Tony Huynh? for ??a chance to, uh, set the record straight:

"So, first of all, we're starting with this being an alternate universe," said Huynh. "Characters are pulled in from all over. And also if you understand the Iron Giant lore, there are multiple Iron Giants. And ??it's an assembly line of different Iron Giants."

"So that being said, the backstory on the [MultiVersus] website is that Iron Giant is learning from Superman, who is his idol. And Superman uses his powers to? protect people. And our game is inherently focused on co-op and protecting your ally."

//twitter.com/godsewa/status/1526294437747376130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1??526294437747376130%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F??www.pcgamer.com%2Fsomehow-there-is-iron-giant-discourse-thanks-to-his-multiversus-appearance%2F

I'm not sure if I'm buying it. Especially after seeing how they used Iron Giant in the Ready Player One movie, which had its own discourse when it came out back in ?2018.

It kind of feels like he's just an iconic, beloved character they can draw upon who also happens to be a cool giant robot decked out with weapons. The themes of the movie? he was in almost 25 years ago don't seem to matter, if they need to fill out another slot in the roster, I guess. I also don't believe the whole Superman argument either, because who would the Iron Giant be protecting in this scenario? Maybe a teammate at best?

So I obviously care way too much about this, because at the end of the day it's just supposed to be a fun ??fighting game. I think the heart of the issue for many fans lies in the fact that the movie really set itself apart for having a plot and characters that went against the grain of mindless action that tends to plague Hollywood blockbusters. It dared to make?? a clear anti-war and anti-violence stance in an industry that makes a spectacle of these things, and so seeing a character that serves as a symbol of peace �or even an alternate reality version of him �doesn't feel quite right when he is being reduced to another fighter in a roster. It's more about what the character means than the Iron Giant on the roster being the exact same one from the movie or not.

//twitter.com/LetItMelo/status/1526548931806646272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp?%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1526548931806646272%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Fsomehow-there-is-iron-giant-discourse-thanks-to-his??-multiversus-appearance%2F

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now. MultiVersus looks like a ton of fun, and my qualms with this one aspect of the game certainly won't keep me from trying it out. Since we don't know his move set yet, here's also a chance that the Iron Giant could be a defensive character only, which would be a fun way of honoring the character's legacy. As unlikely as it is, I'll be holding ou?t for tha?t scenario.

The post MultiVersus director says the Iron Giant is fighting because it’s an “alternate universe” appeared first on Destructoid.

Jinkies!

Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive has released a very fun cinematic trailer for its upcoming platform brawler MultiVersus. The star-studded fighter is current??ly in development for PlaySt??ation, PC, and Xbox platforms, with an expected release date of late-2022.

The very fun near three-minute cinematic sees a selection of characters from franchises such as Scooby-Doo!, DC Comics, Game of Thrones, Looney Tunes, and Steven Universe coming together to throw down in?? a sunny-funny meadow. This is ??one of those affairs where it's better if you just sit back and enjoy the trailer, rather than have me over-explain every last element of it like those awful YouTube videos.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw

MultiVersus will receive its first closed alpha test later this week, running between May 19 and May 27. This will be followed by an open beta in July, ahead of the title's official launch later in 2022. MultiVersus will support crossplay on all platforms, and will sport rollback netcode on exclusive game se?rvers. It will launch as a free-to-play title, so expect micro?transactions and other in-game purchases.

I really enjoyed this trailer, and I think the concept of MultiVersus shows a lot of promise, even though the Smash Bros. gameplay style is very much not for me. But the potential for some utterly ridiculous showdowns �fights that will see GoT characters crossing swords with frikkin' Tom and Jerry �is very inviti??ng, and I'll d??efinitely be keeping this silly slapfest on my radar. Let's go, Velma.

MultiVersus is currently in development fo?r PlayStation, PC, and Xbox?? platforms.

The post Bats vs. Bugs vs. Shaggy vs. Taz vs. Arya vs. Harley in wild MultiVersus tr?ailer appeared first on Destructoid.

Running from May 19�7 on PC and consoles

Next week, fighting game fans will be able to call dibs on Batman, Tom & Jerry, and Shaggy, among other eclectic pop-culture characters. Warner Bros. Games is hosting a closed alpha test for MultiVersus, a? world-colliding platform ?fighter, from May 19�7.

You can sign up now �just scroll to the bottom of this FAQ page and tap the "Closed Alpha Sign Up" button?. That said, you'll need a W??B Games account to participate.

While MultiVersus has been playable before in a limited capacity, this is a chance to try the ga??me on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC. If you were in the prior (NDA'd) test on PC and want to play the console version, you'll need to re-register.

[caption id="attachment_321755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Familiar faces with lots of stuff to collect.}[/caption]

If you're selected �not everyone will be! �you'll get an email on Tuesday, May 17. That's when the first wave will go out, though WB Games notes that "additional ?confirmation emails and codes may be distributed throughout the Closed Alpha period."

Everyone who makes the cut will be able to invite up to three friends, using the Beta Management menu. No?? need to tune? into Twitch for a code drop. Not this time, anyway.

Cross-play and cross-gen are supported, and the MultiVersus alpha will be available ??in the Americas, Eur?ope, Australia, and New Zealand, according to WB Games.

[caption id="attachment_321756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{This game has Harley Quinn *and* rollback netcode.}[/caption]

Playable characters, maps, and modes

• Character roster: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shaggy, Bugs Bunny, Arya Stark, Jake the Dog, Finn the Human, Steven Universe, Garnet, Tom & Jerry, and Reindog. "Please note, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Arya Stark, Steven Universe, and Garnet will be initially unavailable, but can all be unlocked over time through gameplay."
• Map selection: The Batcave, Tree Fort, Scooby’s Haunted Mansion, Trophy's E.D.G.E., Trophy’s E.D.G.E. 2, Classic 3 Platform, and Training Room.
• Game modes: 2 vs. 2 team-based cooperative mode, 1 vs. 1 matches, 4-player free-for-all, and The Lab (practice mode).

A few other housekeeping notes: stats won't carry forward, so don't get too hung up on wins and losses, and PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold are not required for the alpha.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XG3SEZ4nb4

It'll be at EVO, too

MultiVersus also has plans for EVO 2022, which will be back in Las Vegas from August 5??�. At the event, WB Games will be hosting a 2v2 tour?nament with a $100K prize pool.

While I've avoided most of the fighting games that have tried to pull off the Smash Bros. formula with different IPs, I've gotta say, the sheer absurdity of some of these MultiVersus lineups is kind of calling my name. The game's free-to-play nature can and probably will put me off long-ter??m, but it's certainly an easy way to get a foot in the door.

My expectation is that Smash will continue to be the one true king, now and maybe forever. Everything else feels like an "all the brands are here!" novelty until proven otherwise, MultiVersus included. We'll see how long the ??honeymoon period lasts.

The post MultiVer??sus alpha sign-ups are here, so t??hrow your name in the hat appeared first on Destructoid.

Tough times for bad guys

It'd be hard enough committing misdeeds in the grim 'berg of Gotham City just knowing that one masked vigilante was on your tail... but four? This might be the fate that awaits the rogues' gallery of Warner Bros. Montreal adventure Gotham Knights, currently in development for PC and consoles.

While it has been common knowledge that the Batman: Arkham spin-off would feature co-op support for two players, a recent update to the PlayStation Store listing for the title now suggests that the open-world title may, in fact, support four-player multiplayer. Such a mode would see Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and ?The Red Hood take to the mean? streets as a quartet, dishing out fistfuls of meaty vengeance.

Evildoers beware.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8TCfiF7Z2w

Of course, there has been no official word from developer WB Montreal as to whether Gotham Knights will indeed support four-player co-op. Additionally, the four-player co-op, should such a feature exist, might just be specifically tied to certain modes, rather than the main campaign itself. Finally, and more disappointingly, this might be a ??mere mistake on PlayStation's part. For now, we'll just have to stay tun??ed to this Bat-Time and Bat-Channel.

Gotham Knights is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms with a tentative release date of 2022. Over at Rocksteady Studios, work continues on the repeatedly delayed multiplayer epic Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is currently expected to release in 2023.

The post PlayStation Store suggests Gotham Knights may support four-p?la?yer co-op appeared first on Destructoid.

Ahsoka Tano shows up, in Lego form

It is May 4, the designated day for all things Star Wars. And on this May The Fourth, Warner Bros. Games and TT Games are releasing two new DLC packs for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

As part of the day's festivities, the new Lego Star Wars DLC brings characters from The Mandalorian Season 2 and The Bad Batch into the Lego universe. ??They're arriving on all platforms today and are available for purchase separately, or included if you bought the Character Collection Pack.

Who made the cut? Well, on The Mandalorian side of things, it's Clone Wars favorite Ahsoka Tano and Sarlacc favorite Boba Fett. The Mando pack also includes? Bo Katan, Fennec Shand, and Moff G??ideon.

For The Bad Batch, that character pack will net you Hu?nter, Wrecker, Tech, Cro?sshair, and Echo.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqGm3u4OemM

These two packs join a long lineup of DLC character packs for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. The DLC lineup has already added a bunch of extra Star Wars characters from outside the realm of the three trilogies, including familiar faces from Rogue One, The Mandalorian Season 1, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

A galaxy bricks, bricks away

It's a fun way to celebrate the expanded universe of Star Wars on the essentially official day of Star Wars. It's not a bank holiday or anything, but this is the day when everything Star Wars coalesces.

Most of the announcements thus far this morning have been cool cameos like this, or giveaways of custom Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Xbox consoles. A new trailer for the Obi-Wan show also dropped, if that's of interest to you.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yh_6_zItPU

For me? Well, I'm still eyeing the Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga prospect. As someone who's been a bit burned out on the series since the, uh, less-than-stellar Episode IX, TT Games seems to have injected new life into its series and Star Wars at the same time. It's funny, charming, a little bit more expansive than previous games, and has surprisingly cool combos.

The post Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga gets a few DLC packs ?for May 4th appeared first on Destructoid.

And now I've hit the point of no return

I was genuinely on the fence about getting LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, but I took a chance that my burnt-out Star Wars fandom wouldn't botch what seemed to be the culmination of TT Games' tried-and-true LEGO collectathon formula. Now, I'm on??e of three million people zipping around the galaxy in sea??rch of near-endless Kyber Bricks.

To my fellow collectible obsessors �to folks like me who love Donkey Kong 64, hold the caveats �this game is pretty sweet. It's the kind of experience you can breezily chip aw?ay at for months on end, and it's a near-nightly co-op pastime for me at this point.

To put it in perspective, Powerpyx's Trophy Roadmap breakdown marks LEGO Skywalker Saga as a 2/10 on the difficulty scale w?ith a 70- to 90-hour Platinum trophy estimate.

I expected a pleasant enough slow-burn experience as a fan of prior LEGO games like Jurassic World, Lord of the Rings, and Marvel Super Heroes (the GOAT), but I was blown away by the sheer scale of this nine-film juggernaut. The whole game could've just been the Free Play hub worl??ds, and I?? would've been fine with that; in fact, I might've preferred it.

[caption id="attachment_318760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Surrounded by collectible markers in a fresh Galaxy Free Play planet.}[/caption]

A rocky start on Naboo

You can begin the story on Episode I, Epi??sode IV, or Episode VII. But choose carefully.

Running back and forth to NPCs in Episode I without any excitement between beats felt like a bad omen, but the worst segments of LEGO Skywalker Saga won't last too long. On the flip side, the best bits �scenes that clicked with my Star Wars nostalgia �also felt super brief. It's f?ascinating to? see what did, and didn't, make the cut. ~So much~ didn't.

When everything was said and done, I ended up skimming certain thick-as-hell wiki entries, which I had zero expectation of doing going into this game. As someone who hasn't really thought about Star Wars since seeing Episode IX in a? theater, there's mental whiplash. LEGO has been a palatable way for me to reopen s?ome wounds and heal others.

All told, the campaign was a nice main-series refresher, though I'm not looking forward to re-running some of these levels for optional hidden trinkets. Unfortunately, I'm at the point of no return. I've accumulated enough Stuff that I won't be able to leave my save file hanging until everything �everything �is scratc??hed off the game's monstrou??s checklist.

[caption id="attachment_318758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If you're aiming to do everything, expect to see this transition A LOT. I always fly toward the center to entertain myself.} [/caption]

Co-op is the way to go if you can swing it

It took quite a bit of convincing to get my fiancée �who isn't into Star Wars and doesn't care for LEGO games �to join me. But she did, so long as I staye????d one session ahead.

Our joint Episode I excursion did enough damage that I then had to complete the entire rest of the story on my own so that we'd have access to new, not-yet-100%'d worlds in the Galaxy Free Play mode �she refused to tag along for ??any other story missions. Randomly exploring open-ended landscapes to find and solve light puzzles, though? We're both hooked. We go through a couple of planets a night now. It's nice!

LEGO Skywalker Saga is easy and only seems to get easier as you go. Ther?e's an obscene amount of content with an understandably high amount of repetition. There are only really so many puzzle solutions for the collectible Kyber Bricks with only so many uniquely capable characters to leverage, though I don't necessarily hold that against it.

I'm loving the ability to mostly shut off my brain and still make steady progress night after night. Alone, the core gameplay experience can approach diminishing-returns dullness; in co-op, our divide-and-conquer appro??ach works wonders. It's more interesting to split up and earn collectibles as fast as possible. The urgency of ??co-op adds another layer.

Quick aside???????????????????????????: If there was a Most Valuable Minifig statistic, Jango Fett would be off the charts for me �his jetpack and upgraded blasters make such short work of so many platforming puzzles and combat challenges. I almost feel guilty skipping 99.9% of the playable cast, but I've got my core crew solidified. Shaak Ti is also locked in.

[caption id="attachment_318756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{We're only (only!) at 67% completion and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.}[/caption]

Free Play is where it's at for collectible hunters

Galaxy Free Play �just running around and grabbing shiny pickups �is my pre?ferred way to experience the game. And that's really it. That's the point of this article.

If you're a collectible-minded player who hasn't had the best track record with LEGO games in the past but thinks this one might be different for you (or the timing might now be better), I hope some of these thoughts give you the nudge you need. That said, it's natural to want more from LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. I do have hangups.

The more hours I burn away by grabbing "just a few mor?e bricks," the more I see technical cracks in the foundation with small-but-irritating bugs and even random crashes; the more I realize just how thinly stretched some of these story levels are; the more I wish I could skip takeoff and landing sequences on drawn-out, multi-planet fetch quests.

With respect to the bugs, I am afraid about certain goals, like finding the Wandering Wookie on every planet, somehow wigging out before I wrap them up. I'm trying not to dwell on that fear, ??though. If it happens, it?? happens, and I hope the patches are frequent.

Speaking of, for other co-op players' sake, I hope the developers add horizontal split-screen. It's vertical only right now, which I'm u??sed to, b??ut you very well might not be.

[caption id="attachment_318759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{There's no such thing as too many studs.}[/caption]

Let the post-Elden Ring recovery begin

While it's easy to pick apart so much of LEGO Skywalker Saga critically speaking, weirdly enough, this has ended up becoming the exact right kind of collectathon game I needed to throw myself at after Elden Ring. It's perfectly low-stakes. Comfy, even. There's a lot to like about it, even as an infrequent LEGO player who's (otherwise) tuning out Star Wars at large.

If nothing else, take this advice: before you're in too deep, consider listening to a podcast or music or literally any other audio source every now and then as a shakeup. Otherwise, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will fill your head with unshakable earworms. I hear John Williams fanfare when I go to bed, and the music is still playing when I wake up.

The post LEGO Star Wa?rs: The Skywalker Saga is ??a comfy co-op collectathon appeared first on Destructoid.

Building Back Better

After years of relatively dull LEGO video games, it seems that Traveller's Tales have finally knocked it out of the park with the release of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga �/em> not only has the ?brick-b?uilding compendium seemingly won over critics and fans, but it debuted in the top spot of the UK Charts.